The countdown for the launch of GSAT-9 began on Thursday. The Geostationary Communication Satellite was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 4:57 PM at Sriharikota, about 135 km from Chennai. The GSLV-F09 carrying GSAT-9 blasted off from the second launch pad at the the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.